CD Release: Noé Inui frees Bach from conventions
Johann Sebastian Bach’s six sonatas and partitas for solo violin, BWV 1001-1006 are seen as a touchstone for every young violinist. Brussels-born violinist Noé Inui, too, had to confront them early on, and although he would have had the opportunity to record Bach’s complete repertoire early in his career, he decided to develop his approach ten more years: “The expectation of a standardized interpretation restricts the musicality of most violinists and prevents them from developing their own artistic vision.”
On his new double album “Sei Solo” (ARS, 3.7.26), the violinist interprets Bach’s virtuosic cycle for solo violin, combining historically-informed performance practice with a modern playing style: In some of the movements of this partita (No. 3), he is using what is known as ‘jeu inégal’. Noé Inui explains in the booklet: “This means playing notes that are written with the same value alternately longer and shorter. This practice gives the music a swing feel, similar to modern jazz. Its use in Bach’s music is a matter of fierce debate among musicologists, but in this particular suite of dances I found it very appealing.”
